Visionaire Issue 56 has recently been published and this "solar" issue is like getting two books in one. Indoors, the board-bound book appears to be in a white embroidered slipcase with beautiful black and white photography and art. Expose it to the sun and the case, the embroidery and the images within the book transforms into color.

above: four profiles of the varied styles of Blaine Fontana's Nestkeepers.

It was in his 2006 show, The Manifest Soup Transcripts of Four Corners, (at the now closed Lineage Gallery in Philadelphia) that featured the first 8 of the 30 nestkeepers and he has just now completed them all.

above: the first 8 nestkeepers as they appeared at Lineage Gallery in 2006

The nestkeepers were inspired by this earlier painting of Blaine's:

Blaine sculpted the original prototype at which point fellow Otis Alum Daniel Garcia, then in the toy design department, applied his talents with the wax pen on the second casting and together they cast the finals.

above: the last 22 of the final 30 casts. The mold has since been destroyed.

The 30 nestkeepers are created from a solid silicon cast and then each 5" tall form is hand painted and adorned with unique elements, like twigs, nests, flowers, butterflies and even spray can tops.

Please click on the images below to enlarge and see the 30 beautiful nestkeepers.

UPDATE: The $800.00 nestkeepers have long since sold out. But visit Blaine Fontana's online store to see other original sculptures and art available for purchase.

Below are a few examples of the work of Blaine Fontana:all images courtesy of the artist and society6